Pickup trucks include a box having a bed, opposing sidewalls, a header and a tailgate. The box is attached to and supported by the chassis. The box may be equipped with toolboxes, ladder racks, tie-downs and other equipment that exert equipment loads on the sidewalls. These loads are transferred from the box to the chassis through the bed.
Attaching aftermarket accessories to the sidewalls is a challenge as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) limit the mounting options for aftermarket accessories on the vehicle. Aftermarket-accessory producers often must include mounting hardware with the accessory. Accessory mounting hardware may require modifications to the vehicle that are permanent.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B (PRIOR ART), some OEMS have recently provided structures within the sidewall that cooperate with the stake-pockets. For example, Ford Motor Company has added a stamped bracket “A” below the stake pocket “B”. The bracket includes two side panels “C”, an outer panel “D”, and a bottom panel “E”. Some of the panels have a flange “F” that is welded to an outer surface of the box inner “G”. The bracket “A” lacks an inner panel and thus is not a fully boxed structure.
The stake pocket “B” is defined by the top rail “H” and has an inner side “I”, an outer side “J”, and a pair of interconnecting sides “K”. The stake pocket “B” is centered in the top rail “H” thus, the inner side “I” is spaced laterally outboard of the box inner “G”. This lateral offset creates a pivot point at the inner side “I”. An object (e.g., a leg of an after-market accessory) received within the stake pocket “B” pivots at the inner side until the object hits the box inner “G”. Many aftermarket accessories should be securely connected to the box so they do not pivot or wobble. The bracket “A” does not prevent pivoting of objects received within the stake pocket because the bracket “A” does not include an inner panel. Since the bracket “A” lacks an inner panel, the stake pocket “B” provides structural support for objects received in the pocket.